35 years and counting for Dave Frisina and his all-local radio show, Soundcheck

If it's 9 o'clock on a Sunday, Dave Frisina knows exactly where he'll be: At his studio, hosting Soundcheck.

It's the same place he's been every Sunday night since 1979. And while his spot on the dial has changed, the dependability of Soundcheck is part of what has made the veteran broadcaster an indispensable part of Syracuse music history.

On Saturday, Frisina celebrated the 35th anniversary of his all-local radio hour with a live broadcast from the Salt City Waltz at the Palace Theatre. As has become commonplace at local gigs, Frisina also served as the evening's emcee.

After all, Frisina's influence in Syracuse extends well beyond a weekly radio program (and his 2 to 7 p.m. on-air gigs during the week). He's front-and-center for almost every major local event. He's a no-brainer for anyone seeking an emcee. He's a resource for any up-and-coming local musician. And, perhaps most important, he's a fan.

"I'm out at shows three, four nights a week," he said. "There's just too much stuff I want to go to. And I'm not a wallflower. I'm talking with people and right in it."

Frisina's dedication to local music earned him a spot in the Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Fame in 1994, just the second year the awards were held. He remains one of just a handful of broadcasters in the Hall.

Saturday night at the Waltz, State Senator John Defrancisco presented Frisina with a state Senate proclamation recognizing the contributions he has made to local radio and local music. And the next night, he was back on the air for Soundcheck.

35 years and counting

Frisina started in radio in August, 1978 doing weekend shifts on then-newcomer 95X FM. Soon he was given the overnight shift: 2 to 6 a.m. He was 23 and was "given rein to play whatever I want."

"I was going out every night and seeing bands," he said. "At last call I would get out to [95X's studio in] Manlius and get on the air."

While spending every night seeing live music, Frisina got to know the local musicians. Many, he said, were too good not to be on the air. With that in mind, he pitched a show to his boss, Ted Utz at 95X. The show would be a destination for any and all local music fans.

Utz liked it and Soundcheck was born -- a one-hour show at 11 p.m. on Sunday nights. That first show -- of which Frisina has a CD copy -- featured the popular bands of the day, some of which are still around in some form, like the Flashcubes or The Works.

Weathering the radio storm

Soundcheck quickly became a success as local artists flooded Frisina's office with cassettes (and even some reel-to-reels) and tuned in weekly to see what he would play.

"It's a niche audience, but it's a dedicated audience," Frisina said. "People know when and where to tune in to hear local stuff."

Frisina has changed stations several times, moving from 95X to TK99 in 2003 and taking over as program director for 105.9 The Rebel in 2012. But the show has remained almost unchanged, aside from moving to 9 p.m. It's survived as radio has adopted more syndicated content and scaled back on personnel.

And while radio on the whole has changed, Frisina says it still holds a similar importance to the music community.

"There are a lot of places to get music," he said. "But the human element is necessary in radio. Local radio depends on credibility. I'm picking shows for a reason. Live music charges me up. It's what gives radio stuff life."

Today, Frisina operates out of a small, windowless studio at Cumulus Media's Syracuse headquarters. Vinyl albums flood the floors and CDs litter every spare inch of desk space. Posters of shows dating back to the 1970s cover the walls, along with a white board listing a host of upcoming local shows. Next to the sound board is a handwritten calendar of local concerts -- one that Frisina hardly has to look at because he knows them so well.

Frisina is the heart, the soul and the public face of 105.9 FM The Rebel, classic rock's new kid on the block. After parting ways with TK99 at the end of 2011, the veteran broadcaster joined the newly-formed Rebel to shape the station and add a familiar voice.

"The word 'local' gets thrown around a lot," Frisina said. "For us, it's what we do. I'm accessible to anyone who wants to get on the air. That's what sold me on [The Rebel]."

In the nearly three years since Frisina joined, The Rebel has become synonymous with local music, attaching its name (and Frisina's) to countless shows at the Palace Theatre, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and other local hot spots.

Will there be a 40th anniversary?

Frisina admits that 35 years is a long time to do anything, even if it's something you love. He can count on one hand the number of times he's had to miss a show on Sunday nights.

Still, he's eyeing the horizon. He's got two young grandchildren and a Yamaha motorcycle that beckons when the sun shines.

"I never thought I'd be doing this post-retirement age," Frisina said. "I don't think there will be a 40th anniversary. Maybe I'll come out of retirement, though."